Sept. 7, 2000 - While seeing a local kid's dream suddenly materialize on an NFL field remains cause at least for a nod-of-the-head toast saying nothing more than "Good for him," it's becoming evident that Colorado prep programs are producing more future NFL players each year.

And can't-miss prospects such as Tony Boselli, Greg Jones or Bobby Anderson and Dick Anderson, Whizzer White and Terry Miller no longer are the only ones finding NFL employment.

Consider the trio of players from Colorado who made their pro football debuts last week - almost five years since the three had wrapped up their prep careers: The most recognizable name belongs to Kevin McDougal, a former two-sport standout at Arvada West High School who has became familiar to football fans in the state who watched the running back headline the Colorado State offense the past three years.

And although Wade Davis spent his college years at out-of-the-way Weber State in Ogden, Utah, there are many who remember the defensive back as the sparkplug of Overland's dominating 1995 defense, considered by many to be one of the best assembled in this neck of the country - a fact that probably bolsters Davis' recognition.

While the third member of the group has impressed teammates and coaches at every level with his talent and attitude, it hasn't prevented Trent Gamble from knowing the kind of anonymity only mob informants strive for. After all, when a person stops growing during his junior year at Ponderosa High School with the ruler peaking at 5-foot-9, it's a pretty safe bet his name won't be coming out of a TV into your living room on any Sunday afternoon.

The only way you'll hear the name Gamble resonating from your TV now is when you have it tuned to a Miami Dolphins game. Even then, chances are you might have a hard time believing you heard it. And if anyone other than the 5-9, 188-pound Gamble tells you he knew all along he'd be playing with the big boys someday, the person is lying.

"Just knowing how hard it is (to reach the NFL), I just wouldn't have thought of him making the pros," Ponderosa coach Jamie Woodruff said of Gamble, who matriculated at the University of Wyoming. "I just wanted him to be successful. I didn't even think about it really. He did. He always did.

"That was his goal. I just wanted him to go to a big school and be successful. I just knew Wyoming was a perfect match ... He's just a down-to-earth kid. He's so unassuming. That's why if you look at him, you'd say there's no way (he's in the NFL). He wears his baggy clothes and he looks even smaller than he is. But if you put him (in the weight room), he's going to bench press his body weight about 30 times."

Even though, he had been aspiring to the NFL since he could remember, not even Gamble was completely optimistic when he began college.

"I really didn't know what to expect," Gamble said. "I did know coming to Wyoming that I was going to get my degree. That came first and that was most important. I didn't know if I'd have a future in the NFL. I was going to try, but my focus was on getting a degree, then playing football. And right away, I knew finance was (the major) I wanted to do. But I liked it and that's why I was able to get my de gree in four years.

"If I wasn't playing football, I'd probably be a financial consultant or something like that. Something (that involves) the stock market. But that could wait forever now."

A financial career appeared imminent when Gamble began his final year of eligibility coming off an injury-plagued junior season that left the speedy defensive back ready to concentrate more on getting his master's degree. But after never having started a game his first three years, Gamble rediscovered his NFL itch during a stellar senior season.

His play earned Gamble a roster spot at the Hula Bowl and secured an invitation to the NFL scouting combine, where he quickly grabbed the attention of several prospective employers. At 5-9, Gamble didn't have one of the two commodities scouts crave more than all others. But having already recorded a time of 4.3 seconds in the 40-yard dash, Gamble had an abundance of the second commodity, which most scouts admit is the vital one of the two.

Although none of the 30 NFL teams used a draft choice on Gamble, he had seven teams vying for his signature on a free-agent contract, and about 15 minutes after the draft, he agreed to the terms offered by Miami.

"It wasn't that tough (deciding on Miami)," Gamble said. "They had a lot of positives to the situation. I was able to play safety (not cornerback). (The Dolphins) also have been known to give their younger players more opportunities than a lot of other teams do."

Gamble apparently has taken advantage of the opportunities presented. Listed third on the depth chart at strong safety, Gamble's special-teams play - fumble recoveries in the final preseason game and the season opener - provided him a spot on the 53-man roster and meaningful responsibilities every Sunday of the season. But maybe most important, it gives him more time to turn potential into reality.

"I liked what I saw of him," said Mike Westhoff, Miami's special-teams coach. "But one of the things that does help is a number of the veteran players - (linebacker) Zach Thomas or Sam Madison, our Pro Bowl corner - would come up to me and say, 'Mike, we need to find a way to get this guy out there.' And you rarely can ever fool those guys ... This guy belongs. He has a way to go yet, but he belongs ... I don't think you can have a whole football team of them. I don't think you can win the Super Bowl with a whole football team of Trent Gambles, but I don't believe you can win one without a couple of them. This kid's done a heck of a job, and everyone in Wyoming and in (Parker) should be proud of him."

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Trivia: Only five of the 19 current NFL players who graduated from a Colorado high school play on offense. Overland, Montbello and Sierra are the only schools who have two players into the NFL. The Class 5A Centennial Conference produced a stateleading four of the 18 players while the Denver Prep and Colorado Springs conferences each provided three. There are more players from Mancos than from Pueblo. Adams City has produced one more NFL player than Cherry Creek.